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[Wildflower-orientated Hikes for Spring and Summer 2010]
November 14, 2010: Cherry Orchard Trail (from the trailhead on the Lyle-Centerville Highway)
November 3, 2010: Cherry Orchard Trail (from the trailhead east of the Lyle tunnels)
October 12, 2010: Twin Tunnels (from the west trailhead near Hood River, OR)
June 21, 2010: Catherine Creek
June 1, 2010: Slopes East of the Klickitat River near the Glenwood Highway (Klickitat Wildlife Area: 1 mile south of Sheep Canyon)
May 29, 2010: Upper Swale Canyon (Accessed via Harms Road)
May 29, 2010: Brooks Memorial State Park (Satus Pass) - Technically this is central Washington, but is included here since it shares so many plants from the Columbia River Gorge).
May 27, 2010: Catherine Creek
May 8, 2010: Upper Swale Canyon (Accessed via Harms Road)
May 5, 2010: The Labyrinth and the Atwood Road east to upper Catherine Creek
May 1 & 5, 2010: Catherine Creek
May 1, 2010: Dancing Rock
April 30, 2010: Soda Springs- From the Old Headquarters Road to Soda Springs Road (Klickitat Wildlife Area)
April 29, 2010: The Twin Tunnels (from the East Trailhead)
April 29, 2010: The Memaloose Loop Trail and Castilleja Hill
April 23, 2010: Upper Swale Canyon (Accessed via Harms Road)
April 18 and April 25, 2010: Washington State Highway SR 14 (US 97 east past Rossevelt, WA and Roosevelt Grade)
April 17, 2010: Swale Canyon - From Harms Road to Wahkiacus (A Klickitat Trail Conservancy Bike Ride)
April 15, 2010: The Labyrinth and Coyote Wall (Additions not seen on April 10)
April 12, 2010: The Memaloose Loop Trail and Castilleja Hill (A Friends of the Columbia Gorge hike.)
April 10, 2010: The Labyrinth and Coyote Wall (A Native Plant Society of Oregon hike.)
April 7, 2010: Klickitat Wildlife Area - Area west of the Soda Springs Road
April 4, 2010: Eightmile Creek, Columbia Hills State Park - From SR14 uphill to the Dalles Mt. Ranch
April 4, 2010: Klickitat Trail (from Fisher Road to 2 miles upstream)
March 18, 2010: Upper Swale Canyon (Accessed via Harms Road)
March 14, 2010: Eightmile Creek, Columbia Hills State Park - From SR14 uphill to the Dalles Mt. Ranch
March 14, 2010: Dancing Rock
March 13, 2010: Klickitat Trail (from Fisher Road to 2 miles upstream)
March 13, 2010: Catherine Creek
March 4, 2010: Upper Swale Canyon (Accessed via Harms Road)
February 28, 2010: Labyrinth (Area between Catherine Creek and the Coyote Wall)
February 25, 2010: Klickitat Trail (Lower Swale Canyon)
February 25, 2010: Klickitat Trail (Wahkiacus to Klickitat Springs)
February 23, 2010: Crawford Oaks and Eightmile Creek, Columbia Hills State Park - From SR14 uphill to the Dalles Mt. Ranch
February 20, 2010: Catherine Creek - Additions: The first migratory birds, the western bluebird has arrived at Catherine Creek. Poet's shooting star (Dodecatheon poeticum) and northwestern saxifrage (Saxifraga integrifolia var. integrifolia) now show flower buds and dependent on weather, should most likely be in bloom by the last weekend of February.
February 20, 2010: Klickitat Trail (Fisher Road to about 2 miles north of Dillacourt Creek)
February 17, 2010: Hamilton Mountain
February 15, 2010: Catherine Creek
February 15, 2010: Slopes above Dougs Beach (mile or so east of Lyle, WA)
February 15, 2010: Columbia Hills State Park and Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve
February 9, 2010: Angels Rest - The only plant seen in bloom today was common chickweed (Stellaria media). Some indian plum was seen in bud near the parking area. Many leaves are coming up, with the poison larkspur (Delphinum trollolifolium) averaging 6-10 inches high. It's a good time of year to observe lichens, mosses and ferns here as well as trying to identify what the newly formed leaves belong to!
February 6, 2010: Wildflower bloom in the Columbia River Gorge is currently a week or so later than last year (itself a late year). The first few columbia desert parsley (Lomatium columbianum) and pungent desert parsley (Lomatium grayi) were observed beginning to bloom along the old highway about one-half mile northwest of the I-84 Chenoweth exit. The leaves of many smooth desert parsleys (Lomatium laevigatum) were observed east of The Dalles, but none were yet in bloom. Numerous salt and pepper (Lomatium gormanii or Lomatium piperi - I didn't check.) and scale pods (Idahoa scapigera) were observed along the old highway east of Celilo. Numerous gold stars were observed in bud at the latter location and could be in bloom by Valentine's Day if the weather stays sunny and warm to the east of the Cascades. After a 6 mile hike into the Deschutes River canyon along the East Bank Trail, numerous salt and peppers were observed in bloom along with a single smooth prairie star (Lithophragma glabrum) in bloom.
January 29, 2010: The grass widows (Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii) are numerous below the old highway at Catherine Creek. Western saxifrage (Saxifraga occidentalis) are observed with flower buds both above and below the old highway. The first salt and peppers ( Lomatium piperi) are observed in bloom today above the old highway at Catherine Creek.
An ATV is observed driving around Catherine Creek before sunset. Several passer's by use their cell phones to report the incident to the sheriff. Both the Klickitat County sheriff's deputy and Gorge officer respond, observe the ATV where it shouldn't be, and provide a lengthy talking to and an expensive ticket to the individual involved. The ATV was the same one observed on the Syncline near Coyote Wall the previous week. Horse tracks were also observed off trail across Catherine Creek today as well as new mountain bike tracks off trail. Existing trails at Catherine Creek are seeing increased mountain bike use (and degradation) as well.
January 17, 2010: Note - New regulations have been applied to the Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve.........No bikes or horses, no dogs, not hunting. Hikers must stay on the main road. Hiking groups must apply for and carry an educational permit obtained from the SE Washington office Department of Natural Resources in Ellensburg, WA. Nothing in bloom here today, but leaves of many species were evident.
January 15, 2010: Several of the first grass widows (Olsynium douglasii var. douglasii) are observed along the lower paved trail at Catherine Creek today.
